Changing shoes with under 6 weeks til HM day.... yey or ney.

[Joster]

Have I left it too late to consider a change of running shoes with just under 6 weeks to go til my HM? I am in my Hoka Hoka Clifton 6s and I love them, but worry that they may have reached or be close to their limit on miles, just don't feel quite as cushioned as I am sure they did in the past. From memory when I switched to these shoes from my previous Hoka's I didn't have any discomfort or adjustment issues, but I was running shorter distances at the time and not training for an event.

I've done a longish run today so won't do another long run til Sunday so have time to get them and do a couple of shorter runs/intervals etc during this week to acclimatise.

Appreciate any thoughts or feedback.

[Blackberrypie Half Marathon]

I am doing a terrible job of transitioning to my new shoes, just keep going back to my old ones which I know are just right for me. That said, I'd have thought 6 weeks was plenty of time - at worst you can go back to your old shoes for race day (hopefully with a bit less wear and tear than they would have done if you'd just trained in them!)

[Cmoi Marathon]

My Brooks Cascadia 16s were just over a month old when I did my maratrail. Previously I had 15s, but there was no way I'd have got another month out of them, especially with the mileage I was doing at that time.

That's what would concern me - your current shoes are only going to get more worn over the next few weeks, and you already suspect they're at the end of their life. So if you can afford new ones, I'd get them.

[Joster Half Marathon in reply to Cmoi]

Precisely this, I am only doing more miles on average in the next six weeks....

[linda9389 Administrator Marathon]

Are you sticking with the Cliftons? If so I should think you'll have no problem. I move from one pair to the next with no issue (usually with a couple of shorter runs just to soften them up first. May be more of an issue if you are moving to a different type of shoe altogether.

[Joster Half Marathon in reply to linda9389]

My plan is to stick with Cliftons, I've had two pairs and have loved both. Assuming my friendly running shop has them in stock (maybe I should phone ahead!)

[linda9389 Administrator Marathon in reply to Joster]

Then I would just go for it. Change them as soon as you can. Have a couple of shorter runs first and then they will be good to go as far as your legs will take them!

[Joster Half Marathon in reply to linda9389]

If I can get them tomorrow or Weds I can do a couple of shorter runs this week before my long run at the weekend...

[Irishprincess Administrator Half Marathon]

Get another pair. You’ve got plenty of time to try them out and get used to them before race day. The last thing you want is worry about your existing pair.

After getting injured during training once I “forgot” to check the mileage on my one pair and ended up with serious niggles. I now rotate two pairs just in case.

[Joster Half Marathon in reply to Irishprincess]

Thanks, that sounds like good advice to me. I'm going to try and get there tomorrow or Weds, and I've just been paid which is also a reason to do it now before I spend the money on something else less useful!

[Tasha99 Marathon]

If you’re going from the same style to the same style, that’s absolutely fine! I’d say 6 weeks is about perfect timing!

[Joster Half Marathon in reply to Tasha99]

Yes, hoping for the next generation Clifton.

[Tasha99 Marathon in reply to Joster]

I have Cliftons too 😍

[Joster Half Marathon in reply to Tasha99]

I've only ever had Cliftons since I started running three years ago, which model have you got? I see it's now 8s that are in the running shop....

[misswobble Marathon]

I’ve had to do it twice before marathons. Last November it was a completely untried shoe. Not ideal but preferable to running shoes that are dead or about to expire. I had my marathon shoes die a premature death on a half marathon race two months before marathon day.

Many shoes are good to go straight out the box 😀

[SkiMonday Ultramarathon]

Due to bad planning, my first outing in a new pair of shoes was a ParkRun and the next day I ran a marathon in them with no problems. So, although not recommended, it can be done.

With six weeks to go, I'd say this is a good time to change your shoes.

[nowster Metric Marathon]

The usual mantra is "nothing new on race day". I'd say six weeks is plenty of time to get on friendly terms with some new shoes.

[Whatsapp Half Marathon]

As others have said, plenty of time and much less of a worry than shoes past their useful life.